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TIMELINE: How Cruz's Camp Spun A Ben Carson Hoax During The Iowa Caucuses
TPM ^ | February 3, 2016, 2:12 PM EST | Katherine Krueger

Posted on 02/04/2016 4:27:58 AM PST by Red Steel

Dr. Ben Carson, once a presidential contender leading the GOP polls, found himself swatting away rumors that he planned to drop out of the race in the heat of the Iowa caucuses Monday night.

The rumor was sourced to a single CNN report about Carson's plans to travel home to Florida after the Iowa caucuses - rather than directly to New Hampshire, as is typical - and was spread by Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-TX) campaign. It sparked a full-blown scandal as Carson claimed the Cruz camp's tactics hurt his performance in the caucuses and second-place finisher Donald Trump took up Carson's cause, calling for the election results to thrown out completely over Cruz's "fraud."

Here's a look at how the events unfolded on the night of the Iowa caucuses and the ensuing days (all times EST).

Caucus night

7:45 p.m.: CNN reports Carson is taking a break after Iowa

During CNN's wall-to-wall coverage of the Iowa caucuses, Dana Bash shared breaking news from reporter Chris Moody that Carson would return home to Florida after the contest.

“Ben Carson is going to go back to Florida, to his home, regardless of how he does tonight here in Iowa. He's going to go there for several days, and then afterwards, he's not going to go to South Carolina, he's not going to go to New Hampshire, he's going to come to Washington D.C., and he's going to do that because the National Prayer Breakfast is on Thursday," she said.

After the #IAcaucus, @RealBenCarson plans to take a break from campaigning https://t.co/2sMsS7rlRk https://t.co/dVGpik7gNN

- CNN (@CNN) February 2, 2016

CNN's Jake Tapper called the announcement from Carson "very unusual" and noted "almost every single candidate" would travel directly to New Hampshire after the caucuses.

"If you want to be President of the United States, you don't go home to Florida," Bash responded.

On Twitter, @TheLeadCNN told its 32,000 followers that Carson "will return to FL following #IAcaucus, will not go to either NH or SC." The account for CNN's politics section tweeted to 420,000 followers that the retired neurosurgeon "plans to take a break from campaigning."

7:50 p.m.: Carson camp clarifies he just has to go home for "fresh clothes"

Shortly before 8 p.m., a Carson spokesman tweeted the candidate was "not standing down" and was simply returning to Florida to "get fresh clothes" and dodge a winter storm in Iowa. The spokesman told TPM Carson would be in D.C. Wednesday and Thursday for a "campaign event," and then would continue on to New Hampshire.

The campaign also disputed rumors that Carson's trip to Florida was a mid-campaign vacation, which many read as a sign he would drop out.

8 p.m.: Cruz camp notifies supporters that Carson is dropping out

Just as the Iowa caucuses were beginning, some users of the Cruz campaign's official mobile app received a notification saying Carson was dropping out of the presidential race. The notification cited a report from CNN.

The alert said Carson "will stop campaigning after Iowa" and urged users to tell people at the caucuses “they should coalesce around the true conservative who will be in the race for the long haul: TED CRUZ!"

It also included a photo of a TV tuned to CNN, showing the network's ever-present "BREAKING NEWS" banner paired with the headline "Campaign: Carson To Take A Break After Iowa."

8:20 p.m.: Rep. Steve King feeds the rumor mill

Following the Cruz campaign's lead, Rep. Steve King (R-IA), who endorsed Cruz in November, tweeted: "Carson looks like he is out."

Carson looks like he is out. Iowans need to know before they vote. Most will go to Cruz, I hope. https://t.co/lW5Js50EMA

- Steve King (@SteveKingIA) February 2, 2016

He linked to a tweet from CNN reporter Chris Moody, which read Carson "won’t go to NH/SC, but instead will head home to Florida for some R&R. He'll be in DC Thursday for the National Prayer Breakfast."

10:50 p.m.: Carson alludes to unnamed rivals' "dirty tricks" after fourth-place finish

In his Iowa concession speech, which the retired neurosurgeon began before the race was called for Cruz, Carson reiterated that he wasn't "going anywhere." He also bemoaned "dirty tricks" employed in the caucuses, without assigning blame to any other campaign in particular.

The aftermath


Feb. 2: Cruz apologizes after Carson directly accuses him of playing "dirty tricks"

Carson fingered the Cruz campaign as the source of the rumors he was dropping out and said its shady tactics ruined his chances in Iowa during an interview with "Fox and Friends."

"At many of the precincts, the information was disseminated that I was suspending my campaign, that I had dropped out," he said. "And anybody who was planning to vote for me was wasting their vote and therefore they should reconsider."

Carson told Fox News that his wife, Candy, had to set the record straight at one precinct.

"She spoke at one of the caucus sites and before she got there one of the Cruz people had again disseminated that information to the crowd," Carson said. "One of the organizers told her 'I'm so glad you're here, so you could set the record straight.' And she did and we actually won in that precinct."

The Cruz campaign apologized for disseminating the misinformation later in the day, calling the messaging “a mistake from our end.” The campaign conceded in a statement to CNN that it should have followed up with a corrected report about Carson was staying in the race, but argued it was "fair game" for surrogates to disseminate the news that Carson was leaving the campaign trail when it first broke.

For his part, Cruz surrogate Steve King apologized to the Carson campaign for "any miscommunications" during the caucuses.

I respect Ben Carson & regret any miscommunications. Perhaps @RealBenCarson supporters r unaware of this CNN story. https://t.co/RgrljodXl1

- Steve King (@SteveKingIA) February 2, 2016

Feb. 3: Trump accuses Cruz of "fraud," calls for Iowa results to be "nullified"

In a string of tweets posted Wednesday morning, Donald Trump said the Iowa caucus results should be nullified or a new election should be held because of Cruz's alleged "fraud." In one quickly deleted tweet, he said Cruz "illegally stole" his win in Iowa.

The real estate mogul claimed "many people" voted for Cruz instead of Carson because of the campaign's alert that Carson was dropping out. He also criticized the Cruz campaign's "voter violation" mailers, which implied Iowa voters had broken the law.



TOPICS: Extended News; Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: Iowa
KEYWORDS: 2016cubancartel; 2016election; carson; cruz; cubandupcruzrubio; dirtytricks; iowa; repositorycruz; repositorytrump; trump; waambulance
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To: Red Steel

A caller to Mark Levin who was at the Iowa caucus says that a letter from Ben Carson was read by a surrogate at all the caucus location and that every voter knew he wasn’t dropping out. This story is a complete fabrication being pushed by the MSM to hurt Ted Cruz. Such a shame that FReepers are jumping on board and pushing this Ted Cruz smear to help the Clinton donor.


61 posted on 02/04/2016 6:07:23 AM PST by KansasGirl
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To: dynoman

Dan Gabriel is Ted Cruz?


62 posted on 02/04/2016 6:07:44 AM PST by CAluvdubya (<---has now left CA for NV, where God/guns have not been outlawed! Trump and Cruz, abolish the GOPe!)
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To: Pravious
Someone goes out. Someone else breaks into their house and steals things. To you Cruzers, I guess it’s the fault of that stupid person for going out!

If we are going to make a STRAW MAN argument, let's at least get it right.

Someone makes an announcement that he has a MILLION DOLLARS lying on his dinner table, that the door will be unlocked, and there are no alarms, no police guarding the place. Someone else breaks into their house and steals things. I'm pretty sure it's the fault of that stupid person .

63 posted on 02/04/2016 6:08:38 AM PST by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: CaptainK

They weren’t. Rubio’s campaign staffers were telling voters the same thing the Cruz camp was.


64 posted on 02/04/2016 6:09:59 AM PST by KansasGirl
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To: mkjessup

65 posted on 02/04/2016 6:10:31 AM PST by RavenLooneyToon (Trump or Cruz, if you don't vote then STFU and leave the country, non-voters =non-Republic.)
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To: CAluvdubya

NO read the links - he works for Cruz.


66 posted on 02/04/2016 6:11:01 AM PST by dynoman (Objectivity is the essence of intelligence. - Marilyn vos Savant)
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To: Red Steel

Mr. Carson needs to fire the staffer who leaked his schedule to CNN.

Mr. Trump needs to focus his ire on the people actually harming America - Obama, Clinton, Sanders, Reid, and McConnell.


67 posted on 02/04/2016 6:11:48 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: Red Steel

Is this article another attempt to muddy the waters with incorrect time frames?

Chris Moody’s original tweet was at 4:43pm

Steve King’s tweet was at 5:20pm

CNN aired the news that Carson was flying home at 6:43pm

Cruz campaign notified their precinct captains at 7:00pm... just as the caucuses started.


68 posted on 02/04/2016 6:14:57 AM PST by mac_truck (aide toi et dieu t'aidera)
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To: Daniel Ramsey

For CARSON?

The lying won’t work twice for Cruz - at least he will need a new lie.

That Cruz supporters are fine with lying and intimidation isn’t surprising, seeing their antics here.


69 posted on 02/04/2016 6:14:58 AM PST by CottonBall
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To: scooby321
Cruz and Steve King are trash

While I might like to agree with you, they were handed the opportunity to use this info ON A GOLDEN PLATTER by CARSON'S STAFF.

WHY would any sane person on a candidate's staff even make such a statement just prior to the voting ?

70 posted on 02/04/2016 6:15:11 AM PST by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: Hostage

“This incident will be buried in the coming weeks but it marks a footnote on the character of the people around Cruz.”

I think it will be remembered. Every time Cruz tries to say he’s the most conservative, most Christian, mist anti-establishment person running, Trump will bring up his lying and the intimidating mailers.

Cruz couldn’t have handed Trump a better ad.

The problem is that all this lets Rubio in the door.

I wish Cruz had ran a clean campaign in Iowa. Was selling his soul really worth one small state?


71 posted on 02/04/2016 6:19:32 AM PST by CottonBall
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To: Red Steel

Thanks for the timeline. Was very helpful in determining where the falsehood originated from. Was not from CNN.


72 posted on 02/04/2016 6:20:32 AM PST by Lent
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To: phothus
Exactly. If Carson supporters should be angry, they should be angry at Carson for his inept campaign.

People will forgive and non politician making rookie mistakes. However people will not forgive a proffesional politician lying and cheating. Yeah Cruz won Iowa with lies, lets see how the rest of the country reacts to that.

73 posted on 02/04/2016 6:20:43 AM PST by jpsb (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied. Otto von Bismark)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“Mr. Carson needs to fire the staffer who leaked his schedule to CNN.

Mr. Trump needs to focus his ire on the people actually harming America - Obama, Clinton, Sanders, Reid, and McConnell.”

All but the dishonest candidate needs to take action?

Cruz needs to quit lying and intimidating.


74 posted on 02/04/2016 6:23:00 AM PST by CottonBall
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To: Byron_the_Aussie

Yes, much ado about nothing.


75 posted on 02/04/2016 6:23:21 AM PST by CPT Clay (Hillary: Julius and Ethal Rosenberg were electrocuted for selling classified info.)
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To: UCANSEE2

“Someone makes an announcement that he has a MILLION DOLLARS lying on his dinner table, that the door will be unlocked, and there are no alarms, no police guarding the place. Someone else breaks into their house and steals things. I’m pretty sure it’s the fault of that stupid person.”

Thank you for proving my point.

In your lovely world view, people who steal / cheat aren’t responsible for their actions. Noooooo. It’s the dummy who forgets to lock the door and lets them get in.


76 posted on 02/04/2016 6:23:46 AM PST by Pravious
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To: Red Steel
 photo dead horse.jpg

77 posted on 02/04/2016 6:23:58 AM PST by don-o (He will not share His glory. And He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever!)
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To: DoughtyOne

Only sore loser is Trump


78 posted on 02/04/2016 6:24:18 AM PST by CPT Clay (Hillary: Julius and Ethal Rosenberg were electrocuted for selling classified info.)
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To: CaptainK
I like Cruz and donated to him but why was his campaign the only one to misunderstand the CNN report?

Everyone around here (FR, that is) understands that CNN (and similar outlets) are unreliable, and routinely color their reporting to fit their agenda.

You would think that Cruz and his people would know that too, and would want to get verification of a rumor like that directly from the Carson campaign.

But they didn't because they WANTED the rumor to be true.

79 posted on 02/04/2016 6:24:54 AM PST by Fresh Wind (Falcon 105)
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To: a fool in paradise

But not a word from the MSM or the Trumpanzees


80 posted on 02/04/2016 6:25:29 AM PST by CPT Clay (Hillary: Julius and Ethal Rosenberg were electrocuted for selling classified info.)
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